State of the Union

Sometimes in America, when low-paid workers stand up and speak out, even the President of the United States takes notice. This is one of those moments.
This morning, the White House announced that President Obama will sign a “Good Jobs” Executive Order requiring government contractors to raise the...

One of the more concrete actions President Obama can take tomorrow is announcing an executive order to raise the wages of federal contractors. As my colleagues, Amy Traub and Robbie Hiltonsmith found the federal government is the nation’s leading low-wage employer, with nearly two million private...

One of the best proposals to come out of the State of the Union was the President's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour, phased in over three years, and tie it to the cost of living so it automatically adjusts. If anything, the proposed minimum wage is still too low. If the minimum...

After a campaign season marked by climate silence, the President’s inaugural call for action on climate change left hope that the administration was serious about making climate a priority. And, there were parts in last night’s State of the Union that were promising, beyond the simple...

NEW YORK – National public policy organization Demos announces experts available for commentary on and around President Obama’s State of the Union address. Demos works to address the link between economic and political equality and advances structural changes to provide all Americans an equal voice...

President Obama delivers his fifth State of the Union Address on Tuesday. Based on White House leaks, the president will emphasize rebuilding the middle class. He will invoke the importance of education, infrastructure, clean energy, and manufacturing.
These are terrific themes, economically and...

On Tuesday night, President Obama called for greater investment in job training programs for American workers. This is a great idea -- but maybe not for all the reasons that he thinks. Here's the President:
I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but can...

In his State of the Union Address President Obama had this to say about China:
Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China. There will be more inspections to prevent...

“No challenge is more urgent,” President Obama said last night in his State of the Union Address, than keeping alive “the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for...

America’s energy independence and the promise of a clean economic future were main themes in last night’s State of the Union address. Parts of the address were very promising and if followed through, would really bring us a thriving clean economy that creates jobs and weans us off...